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Congratulations, and a surprise for Melissa!

Today is Melissa Frances' very last day of her chemo treatment for her breast cancer diagnosis and illness that she has been battling since January of 2007. If you haven't stopped over at the Melissa Frances blog earlier this week, you must, just to congratulate her on this happy day. Melissa is an amazing, inspirational woman - grace under pressure, the true embodiment of a fighting spirit and someone who knows how to smile through her tears. Melissa, I wish you years and years of blissful, healthy days ahead. Congratulations to you and your family!

As a special surprise for Melissa, Carolyn Peeler asked the Melissa Frances Design Team to create something for her in honor of this special day. I enjoyed making her this paper cake and card, which I altered from a Target Choxie Truffle box. Here's my offering, but be sure to stop over at the blog and check out all the amazing creations from the other girls. The team is so talented and every single project is breathtaking! The papers used on the cake are from Melissa Frances' Ambiente Collection.

Summer Treat Tins Mini Project

Here's a quick, easy and fun project. I used Melissa Frances papers, rubons and stickers for this fun little project. I had some old empty cocoa tins left over from Christmas. I washed and wiped them out, then altered them with the Melissa Frances papers, rubons and stickers. I added a bit of clear glitter over the stickers and raised them on pop dots. Then I added Creative Imaginations Scalloped trim and some pom pom trim on the bottom. Oh, and used a Fiskars craft drill to drill holes on the side through which I strung ribbon. These can then be filled with pastel colored m & ms, nuts or other candies and given as gifts or party favors. Or fill them with water and insert a few small blossoms for a sweet place setting. You could also fill them up with sand or shells and other tiny treasures from summer vacations. Easy, quick and fun to do! Also, I mentioned this in an earlier blog entry this week but don't forget to visit the Melissa Frances Blog this week for giveaways, in honor of Melissa's last chemo treatment this Friday. Melissa has been through so much this year and several people have left wonderful, caring comments on the blog. I know she'd love to hear from you too!

Almost five.

I wish I could halt time. Look at those eyes.

These were taken a couple weekends ago at the zoo. She is going to be five in exactly a month tomorrow. Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!

Okay tears aside -- just had to share those with you. Here is a layout I did for Melissa Frances, I desaturated the top photo but now I sort of wish I left it in color'the b/w looks sort of washed out. I may go back and change it. The papers are from the new Ambient line from Melissa Frances except for the older green paper which is also from Melissa Frances. I loved adding some dimension to the flowers - glittering and curling them up:

 

This last one is some new Scenic Route (well I suppose it's not new now but it was at CHA-W). I am just now getting around to using it. I love all the bright colored fishies on the paper and raised some up on pop dots for depth. I cut clouds from the reverse side of the fish paper. The sun is a Heidi Swapp white glitter flower and a felt circle from that polka dottie Creative Imaginations Felt. Gotta run -- I am being summoned for a story and hot chocolate -- have a good evening!

Reasons to Celebrate

My father in law is on the road to recovery, and it's truly a miracle. We are so thankful to God, and I want to thank all of you as well for your prayers and good wishes. He is such an amazing man and we are so fortunate that he has made it through this debilitating illness. But the real credit goes to my mother in law. She personified grace under pressure and has shown her courage and mettle in these last few dark months. May God bless both of them with long and healthy lives.

Speaking of miraculous recoveries, we have yet another reason to celebrate. As you all know, Melissa Frances was diagnosed with cancer a year and a half ago and she is a survivor. Melissa will undergo her final chemo treatment next Friday, truly a reason to celebrate. In honor of that, there will be giveaways on the  Melissa Frances Blog all next week beginning Tuesday.

I have a few new layouts and projects and such to share -- will do that when I get home from Nashville tonight or sometime tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a lovely vintage graphic for you to enjoy.

   

MIA...

I know it's been awhile and I am so sorry! Life has officially dialed up not one but three notches. In between Bob's dad being sick and Bob being away in Nashville much of last month, getting adjusted to my new job, jury duty -- it's been CRAZY. I haven't had time for much.

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are? I celebrated my big 4-0 birthday last Thursday. Nothing big -- a small family dinner followed by a dinner at Luce's, a new local Italian place, over the weekend. I don't think it really has struck me that I am middle aged.  I don't feel it. Okay, well maybe my body does -- but mentally I don't. I think I'll always be about 27 inside. But 40 feels fine so far. Thursday was also Alekha's PreK Graduation day -- complete with a graduation ceremony, followed by a three-song salute and cookies and punch. It was so touching to hear the teachers call each little "graduate" up to receive a "diploma" and the children even got to throw their graduation caps (dixie paper bowls with a square sheet of cardstock glued on top, and a yarn tassel hanging off the side) up in the air -- just like at a real graduation! I can't believe my baby will start kindergarten in the fall. Time flies.

There she is getting the diploma from her teacher Miss Ashlee.

She's got a few friends who are boys, which makes me smile -- because it's the complete opposite of her very pronounced girly side. This one is particularly fond of her, though they sometimes quarrel like an old married couple!

This one is the resident heart-throb of her Pre-K:

But this is the only one with a claim on her heart (much to his relief), for now:

On the creative front, I have completed a few pieces for Melissa Frances. This piece was made with one of Melissa's clipboards. I removed the hardware from the clipboard and glued 8.5 x 11" cardstock sheets covered with Melissa Frances patterned papers to the back of the clipboard, folding them around to the front to create a card with folds that open to reveal the clipboard inside.

Initially I had a silver dresden border on this but I think it looks better without it. The frame is gorgeous. Melissa Frances makes wonderful resin frames and various sizes, it adds such an elegant touch to projects. Everything is from Melissa Frances, with the exception of the wide olive colored silk ribbon and the metal disc that says "petits oiseaux" from Papier Valise.

This last piece is a Melissa Frances Sentiment Box. It actually comes with buttons, a mini accordion folded card inside and stickers, but it looks sweet dressed up as an ornament as well.

That's all for now... off to bed, I just don't have the energy to burn the midnight oil like I used to... (oh yes, I AM forty now!) ;)